Listening, learning for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

October 4, 2023

Last week was one of learning and reflection across the Langley School District, as students and staff spent time listening and furthering their knowledge about Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which was observed Sept. 30.

Orange Shirt Day, which was started 10 years ago and has become an annual recognition in the District, is a day to remember and honour the children of residential schools who did not return home. It is also a day to acknowledge that “Every Child Matters.” Orange shirts, which were worn by staff across the District last week, are worn to honour Phyllis Webstad from Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, who had her orange shirt taken away upon entering the residential school she was forced to attend as a child.

At Alex Hope Elementary, students created a “Witness Blanket.” Individually, students were tasked with illustrating their learning about Truth and Reconciliation on a tile which, when complete, was combined with tiles from others to create a mosaic-style blanket.

At West Langley Elementary, Grade 6 and 7 students and teachers, created and led a school-wide activity and learning session for their younger classmates in which students were given painted rocks to write or draw on. Much of the learning was led by Grade 6/7 teacher Kelsey Crockett, who is from the Opaskwayak First Nation in The Pas, Manitoba.

Classes at Shortreed Community Elementary did a gallery walk, which gave students the opportunity to view all the learning that had occurred throughout the month. An assembly was then held that included a traditional welcome from students and a parent from Matsqui First Nation, and the day wrapped up with a school-wide Round Dance, which is a way to “bring communities together, share songs and stories and have fun.”

At Peter Ewart Middle School, students combined sports and art as their way of learning more about Truth and Reconciliation. Led by Aboriginal support worker Luke Dandurand, students and staff helped create banners to acknowledge the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day – banners which were then showcased at a school assembly and the Vancouver Whitecaps game on Saturday. For a video on the project, see below:

At Wix-Brown Elementary, all staff had been working for months to create an event that brought light to a difficult topic. In the morning, students spent time learning the truth about residential schools and the history of mistreatment of Indigenous people in Canada, and the afternoon was spent focused on reconciliation, which culminated in a school-wide assembly in the gym. Gym walls were adorned with information about different First Nations in B.C., as well as student-created Orange Shirt Day art. At the end of the assembly, students were each given a white bag containing a small light and asked to place them on the gym floor, spelling out the word ‘Hope.”

For a video on the school’s day of learning, see below:

To learn more about Orange Shirt Day, click here. To see photos from across the District, check out the gallery below.